Amos blow as Lie Forrit ruled out of Scots National

The eight-year-old was a 12-1 shot with the sponsors for the four-mile race after a season which has seen him win one of his three novice starts.

However, Lie Forrit is reported to have fallen victim to a bug plaguing Amos’ yard and the Borders handler is planning a three-week shutdown to give his horses time to recover.

He said: “Lie Forrit won’t be running on Saturday as he’s got a cough.

“It’s nothing much, more a cold than the flu as you might say, but it’s affecting the whole yard. We ran three last week and, although there looked to be nothing wrong with them, they just didn’t travel and have come back a few days later with a cough.

“The horse next to him has had it and Lie Forrit has now coughed too. It’s devastating as I think it is a very open race and he would have had a good chance.

“He’s hardly had his ground all season as it must have been one of the driest winters in England for years.

“I think that will be him for the year now. Once we’ve shut down for three weeks, the season is pretty much over so it will probably be it for most of the horses. It’s just devastating.”

Ante-post favourite Harry The Viking features among the 25-strong field following the final declaration stage.

The seven-year-old, part-owned by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, has won twice over hurdles and twice over fences this season and was last seen finishing a fine second to Teaforthree in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls is bidding for a notable National double having won the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree for the first time last weekend with Neptune Collonges.

Andrew Parker’s Merigo won the extended four-mile contest in 2010 and was second 12 months ago. He returns to Ayr with strong claims having won at the track a month ago.

Portrait King is a leading contender for the Irish. Maurice Phelan’s stable star won at the Punchestown course in early February and handily followed up in the Eider Chase at Newcastle.

Ikorodu Road is on a hat-trick following wins at Doncaster and Newbury, Cheltenham Gold Cup sixth Knockara Beau is an interesting player stepped up in distance and Galaxy Rock bids for glory for Jonjo O’Neill and Tony McCoy.

Aintree faller Junior heads the weights for David Pipe, while other contenders include Fruity O’Rooney, Mostly Bob and Quentin Collonges.

Joining Lie Forrit as a significant absentee is West End Rocker, another early casualty at Aintree last week.

Meanwhile, in tomorrow’s other big race, Top Offer puts his Classic credentials very much on the line in what promises to be an informative renewal of the Aon Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

The brilliant Frankel landed the Group 3 prize 12 months ago before his breathtaking performance in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and connections of Top Offer will be hoping he can follow in his hoofprints.

Roger Charlton’s Dansili colt was hugely impressive in a maiden over Saturday’s course and distance last August and although he has not been seen since, he is as short as 5-1 to claim Guineas glory on 5 May .

He is not the only horse in Saturday’s line-up with such aspirations, as the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Tales Of Grimm is also a course-and-distance winner and also engaged in the season’s opening Classic.

Richard Hannon’s Bronterre is the highest-rated horse in the field having won twice and finished fourth in the Dewhurst Stakes as a juvenile.

Boomerang Bob showed good form in Pattern company over five furlongs last summer and his trainer John Hills steps him up in distance to seven furlongs to find out about his stamina limitations.

Alan McCabe’s dual Group Two winner Caspar Netscher, Rebellious Guest and Spiritual Star complete the seven-runner line-up.